Football Special Report: Fabregas, Scholes and Rio Ferdiand all doubtful for the Arsenal vs. Manchester United game on Monday
It will be a clash of mammoth proportions when Arsenal travels to Manchester to face Manchester United at the theatre of dreams. What makes the clash even bigger is the fact that these two teams are currently separated by only a point at the top of the Barclays
Premier League table and whoever wins this game will surely be sitting pretty for a little while.
But as there are only 6 days to go for the all important clash there are some emerging fitness concerns for both the camps.
Last night, Arsene Wenger, while addressing the media ahead of his side’s Champions League clash against Partizan Belgrade, said that his inspirational captain Cesc Fabregas is a doubt for the game and only has a small chance of being fit for the feisty
encounter at Old Trafford.
Along with Fabregas, Abou Diaby is also a doubt but Wenger is more hopeful on Diaby and thinks that he may return to full fitness before the game.
Cesc has been out of action for more than 15 days now after he picked up a hamstring niggle in the game in the champions League against Braga.
Since getting injured the Spaniard has been focusing on this important clash to make his return to action but it now seems that he is running out of time and his manager thinks that he might not be able to make it.
Although Cesc returned to light training on Tuesday but his manager feels that rushing Cesc for such an important clash may just backfire and thus he will not be taking any chances on his star midfielder and will assess his situation further.
On the other hand, Manchester United have injury worries of their own as Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand are both ruled as doubtful for the game against Arsenal on the 13th of December.
Paul Scholes has been out injured since picking up a groin injury in victory over Glasgow Rangers and has not featured for his side ever since.
Scholes was all set for a return to the side for United’s last Champions League group game but he then suffered a minor setback in training and was not able to return to the squad. Now the manager believes that he is racing against time to be fit for the
all important clash against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Monday.
Also a doubt for the game is Manchester United’s central defender Rio Ferdinand who was forced to leave the pitch last night against Valencia after he felt some strain in his right hamstring.
The manager, Sir Alex Ferguson feels that Rio will be able to make a comeback for the Arsenal game and take his place in the side alongside Nemenja Vidic at the heart of United defence.
United can now focus on their domestic title as they secured qualification into the last 16 of the Champions League by drawing their game against Valencia and a point was all they needed in order to guarantee themselves top spot in the group.
The draw for the next round will be made on next Friday and after securing the top spot in the group they are guaranteed to avoid other group winners such as Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid but can be pitted against last year’s champions Inter Milan
as the Nerrazurris could only finish second behind Tottenham in their group.
Arsenal are yet to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League and in order to do so they must beat Partizan Belgrade tonight.
Arsenal will be hoping to wrap up their continental campaign in style with a win and securing their qualification so that they can turn their attention for the big clash next week. They would not want to go in such a big game on the back of a dismal Champions
League campaign which makes their game tonight even more important.
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